The Sun Still Rises
by alightintheshadows
Summary: After being shot and left for dead, Maes Hughes has to make a difficult decision. With no plan and no chance of seeing his family and friends until it's over, he sets out to find a way to counter the biggest conspiracy he's ever unearthed. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I have come with a new multi-chapter fic! This story will be very different than anything I've ever written, so this will be an adventure for all of us! This is an AU from the moment Envy does the unthinkable. While this is not exactly a parental story, there will definitely be some parental moments scattered throughout this fic that I hope you all will enjoy.**

 **Before anything else, I have to give a shout out to the incredible YAJJ. She's one of the coolest cats I know and writes AMAZING parental fics. If you all haven't checked them out, you totally should. She helped me organize my ideas and is helping me make sure I keep everyone as in character as possible and write some of the more emotional aspects of this fic with the emotion they really deserve. She is a blessing.**

 **Also, I need to give a shout out to my roommate, who's had to put up with me randomly screaming my ideas for this and for continuing to live with me anyway.**

 **I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters.**

Arm still poised to throw the knife he held tight in his grasp, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes stared at the woman before him. Suddenly, he couldn't feel the pain in his shoulder any more, or feel the blood flowing down his arm.

 _Gracia?_

"You look surprised!"

No. Not Gracia. Second Lieutenant Ross had been standing there just a few seconds ago. But…how?

"What the hell are you?"

Whatever it was smiled.

A single shot resounded through the quiet night.

Blood splattered on the walls of the phone booth. He stumbled backward, his knife clattering on the ground. He barely had time to look down and see the dark red stain blossoming on his chest before he crashed to the ground. He tried grabbing on to the phone to keep himself up, but the blood already on his hands only caused him to slip.

Then he tried to breathe.

A massive rock might as well have been sitting on his chest. He couldn't catch his breath. Excruciating pain stemmed from the bullet wound and dispersed throughout his chest every time he tried.

Then he saw it.

That same red flash from before, that same crackle of energy.

His agony-filled eyes watched as red sparks danced over his wife's body. The bottom of her dress disappeared, revealing a pair of pale, muscular legs barely covered by black shorts with a black cloth wrapped around it. Long, black hair sprang out from the top of its head, only kept in its place by a black headband.

Whatever it was looked so…young. Not much older than Ed.

"Hey, Hughes? Hughes?"

 _Roy_.

His call went through. He had to tell Roy. Looking to the side, he saw the phone swinging by his head.

It took Herculean effort, but he reached for it with what little of his rapidly draining strength remained. A pained grunt escaped his lips, his entire body protesting the movement.

"No…."

His voice was barely audible, but he couldn't help but gasp as that creature leaned over him. It picked up the phone, just as his fingertips were about to touch it.

"You okay? Hughes!"

He couldn't do anything but watch as it hung up the phone. He slumped against the back of the phone booth. Whatever it was, it was talking. Whatever it said, he didn't hear.

 _I_ _didn't tell Roy…._

He watched the blood cascade from the wound to the concrete, streaming toward his fallen family photograph.

Whatever it was, it walked away.

He finally sucked in a deep breath, but exhaled a cry of agony. He brought his hand up to the wound.

It wouldn't help stop the bleeding.

He saw the blood cover his picture, one of his favorites. He knew he didn't have much longer.

His eyelids grew heavy.

"G-Gracia…."

A black car stopped in front of the phone booth. Someone jumped out.

"Hey! Hang in there!"

Whoever it was knelt in front of the Lieutenant Colonel, not minding the fact that he was kneeling in blood. Shrugging off his jacket, he placed it on the man's chest and put pressure on the wound.

"I need you to hold it there."

Clenching his teeth to try to prevent another pained cry from escaping, he applied as much pressure as he could to the wound. Any attempt to stop it was proven in vain when he found his arm sliding around the man's shoulders and he was lifted off the ground.

Whoever was trying to help him was practically dragging him to the car.

It was a waste of time and effort. He wasn't going to make it. This man had to know that.

 _Wait. Maybe he could give one last message to Gracia and Elicia for me. Maybe he can tell them how sorry I am and how much I love them…._

"Tell…t-tell my wife—"

"Shut the hell up! I'm not telling your wife anything because you're not dying!"

He yanked the passenger door open and got Maes in the seat quickly, but gently to not irritate his wound any further. He jumped behind the wheel, tires screeching as he flipped the car around.

Once again, the Lieutenant Colonel's eyes threatened to droop shut.

"I need you to stay awake! Keep pressure on the wound. We're not far from the hospital."

Despite the darkness threatening to overcome him, those words caught his attention.

 _Hospital? No! He can't take me there! Whatever that thing was…and that woman…they have connections to the military! They'll know I'm not dead!_

"No…hospital…."

 _That thing saw the picture of my family. It knows about Elicia and Gracia. If it knows I'm still alive…._

He didn't want to think about it. Those things were willing to kill him without a second thought. He didn't have a single doubt they would go after his wife and daughter.

"I don't exactly have a lot of options if you want to live!" the man snapped, never taking his eyes off the road. "I saw that woman shoot you before transforming into…into…hell I don't know what I saw!"

Maes lurched to the side when they made a sharp turn. He couldn't stop the pained whimper that escaped him when he collided with the passenger door.

The hospital came into view.

"No…." the Lieutenant Colonel moaned.

"You're just going to have to trust me."

He was surprised when they drove straight past the front entrance and around to the back of the building. A firm, yet somehow gentle, hand on his chest kept him in place as the car screeched to a stop, preventing him from flying into the windshield and dashboard.

Within seconds, Maes once again found his arms slung across the man's shoulders. The two staggered toward the lone door.

"Dammit!" the man swore as he fished around his pockets.

Finally producing a set of keys, he unlocked the door. Quickly and quietly, he practically dragged Maes down the hall. He peered down the next hallway. Seeing no one, they continued on.

It was getting harder and harder for Maes to remain conscious.

"We're almost there."

It was as if the man could sense it. The Lieutenant Colonel forced his eyes to stay open, forced his feet to trudge along the best that he could.

"Dr. Knox?"

"Son of a bitch," the doctor muttered under his breath.

They weren't exactly racing down the hallway, so it took no time at all for a young nurse to catch up with them.

"What are you…oh my!"

Her eyes widened when she saw the state of the injured Lieutenant Colonel.

"Follow me," Knox ordered, continuing on down the hall.

"But, sir, why are you going to the morgue? That man needs to go to an operating room!"

 _Morgue? Why's he taking me to the morgue? I'm not dead…yet…._

"Just do as I say!" he snapped. "Actually, go on ahead of me. Clear off one of the tables. Don't let anyone else down here."

Thankfully, the nurse didn't ask any further questions. She ran down the hall and disappeared behind a set of double doors.

Dr. Knox stumbled through them shortly after with Maes in tow, practically carrying all of the man's weight.

"Help me get him on the table!"

The young nurse did as she was told. Without needing to be asked, she cut away at his jacket and shirt.

"What happened?" she asked.

"He was shot," Knox explained as he rummaged through his supplies. "From the looks of it, the bullet just missed his heart. Seems like something else punctured his shoulder." Finding everything he needed, he walked back over to the table, looking over the injuries. He handed the nurse a clean rag. "Keep pressure on that shoulder wound. It won't stop bleeding and he won't last much longer if that keeps up. I'll get the bullet out."

Grabbing another cloth, he wiped the blood away from the bullet wound on the injured man's chest. Now clear of blood, he could see into the wound. It would take some digging around to find and extract the bullet.

He picked up a scalpel and some forceps.

"I'm really sorry, but this is going to hurt."

Maes was barely coherent enough to hear what the doctor said before his vision flashed white and a stabbing pain shot through his still throbbing chest.

A scream threatened to escape him. He clenched his teeth to try to stop it, reducing it to just a pained groan; however, the nurse still winced at the sound.

She couldn't even begin to imagine how much this hurt.

"Hold him down!" Knox ordered as Maes involuntarily writhed on the table.

A firm hand on both shoulders, the nurse had to use all of her strength to hold him still.

The Lieutenant Colonel's eyes bulged out of his skull as the doctor dug deeper into the wound. The darkness that was trying to claim him earlier was making a comeback.

"I found it!" Knox whispered. "Hang on! We're almost done!"

After what seemed like an agonizing eternity, the doctor pulled the forceps out of the wound, a bullet clamped between the metal.

However, Maes didn't see it. His eyes closed. He couldn't fight to stay conscious any longer.

"Hey!" Knox yelled, gently slapping the side of his face. "You need to stay awake!"

"I'm…sorry…." Maes slurred, his body going limp.

 _Gracia…Elicia…I'm so sorry. Ed…Al…whatever your on to, you need to stop. Conspiracies be damned! You boys are going to get yourselves killed. Roy…Roy…._

Everything faded to black.

"Dammit!" The doctor turned to the young nurse. "I need you to get me an IV and O negative blood. He's going to need a transfusion if he's going to make it. Go!" She turned to leave. "Make sure no one follows you and don't tell anyone about him. The military doesn't want it known that he's here."

She nodded, heading out the door.

He sighed, praying that she would do as he asked. Whenever he mentioned the military, no one ever seemed to question him. Given his past, he was quite grateful for that.

Grabbing a needle and the proper thread, he stitched up the bullet and shoulder wounds.

"You're going to be fine," he whispered, even though his patient was unconscious. "You're going to be fine."

He sincerely hoped that would be true.

 ***break***

He first became aware of the dull throbbing in his chest.

 _I thought I wouldn't be able to feel pain after death. I've already lost my wife and daughter…my friends…the friends that I've come to call my family. I thought, at the very least, the pain would end. Why the hell…._

"Can you hear me?"

 _That voice…wait! That's the guy who found me in the phone booth. He shouldn't be here._

 _But he is…._

 _That has to mean…._

It took more effort than he ever thought would be necessary for such a simple task, but Maes managed to peel his eyes open.

 _I'm alive._

Dr. Knox hovered over him, arms crossed over his chest.

Now that he wasn't on the verge of bleeding to death, he finally got a good look at the man. Blood covered his shirt and pants.

 _My blood._

Meeting his eyes, he could see a sense of weariness in them, but also a tad of relief.

Without thinking he tried to sit up, but two firm hands on his shoulders pushed him back down on something soft.

"You need to rest," Knox said sternly. "I'm sorry. I know an autopsy table probably isn't the most comfortable thing to lie on, but I couldn't think of a better place to take you that had the supplies I needed since you didn't want anyone to know you were here. The nurse brought a pillow for you to try to make you more comfortable. Don't worry, she won't let anyone know you're down here."

Maes nodded, relieved the man had understood what he meant in the car. The doctor walked over to the other side of the table. That's when he noticed the IV the man had set up. After checking the bag of fluid, Knox turned his attention back to the Lieutenant Colonel.

"How—"

Maes couldn't even finish his question before he fell into a coughing fit. Knox handed him a cup of water. Nodding in thanks, he gratefully accepted it and had to keep himself from drinking it all in one gulp.

"How can I ever thank you?" he asked.

This man saved his life. There had to be something he could do.

The doctor's eyes turned cold.

"Never mind that. Now, I would really like you to explain what the hell happened."

 **Well there's the first chapter! This chapter will probably be the shortest. Hopefully Maes and Knox weren't too OOC. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed it! Let me know what you think! Until next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! I have returned with another chapter. Thank you all so much for your response to the first one! If any questions arose from the first chapter, I hope you all will find some answers in this one. On with the story!**

 **I still do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters.**

" _Never mind that. Now, I would really like you to explain what the hell happened."_

What the hell did happen?

That was an excellent question.

Maes had certainly stumbled across something he wasn't meant to. He smiled inwardly. Doing so was his job after all, but he had never investigated anything that could have actually gotten him killed.

In fact, he had never investigated anything about those…things.

Although, after hearing about the fifth laboratory from the Elric brothers, he shouldn't have been surprised. Hell, he just recently learned that the youngest Elric was a soul alchemically bound to a suit of armor. This shouldn't have boggled his mind as much as it did.

A woman that could extend her nails out and pierce anyone in her way. A creature that could shapeshift into anything it wanted.

Those were the only two he knew about. There could be more.

If the corruption was coming from within the military and they had creatures like these at their disposal….

"Well?"

Knox snapped him back to reality. The way the man's arms were crossed over his chest, it was obvious he was expecting an answer.

He couldn't tell him everything…or anything for that matter. The doctor saved his life. He couldn't put him in danger.

"I-I can't—"

"And none of this bullshit about me not believing you! I saw that red flash. I saw it transform into…whatever the hell that was! After seeing that, I'm quite open to any explanation that you have."

Maes sighed and closed his eyes.

"That's not why I can't tell you."

He managed to peel his eyes back open and looked back to Knox, the blood loss he suffered through just mere hours ago making it tempting to let them stay closed. The man's arms were still crossed over his chest, but his gaze had softened just a smidge.

"I'm aware you have every right to know," Maes continued. "If I could tell you without there being any repercussions, I would, but I can't put you in that kind of danger. Those things were willing to kill me because of what I found out."

"Really? I hadn't noticed by the way you were shot and left for dead in a phone booth."

Maes ran a hand through his hair, ignoring the sarcasm.

"I thought nobody knew about what I was investigating. But _they_ knew. That thing you saw, there's another one of them. There might be more. I honestly don't know."

Knox adjusted his glasses.

"Does this have anything to do with the riots in Liore?"

The Lieutenant Colonel's eyes widened.

"How the hell did you know about that?"

"I have an old friend from my days in Ishval that keeps me updated on everything going on in the military," the doctor explained. "Do you happen to know Colonel Mustang?"

The corners of the Lieutenant Colonel's lips quirked into a smirk.

"You could say that…." He trailed off when he thought of Roy. "He…he was actually the person I was trying to call before…."

The doctor's mouth set into a grim line.

"Right."

He walked over to one of the other tables and rummaged through some papers. The two were silent before Maes got himself to finally speak up.

"How did you find me?"

"I heard the gunshot," came the terse reply.

"But why were you out so late?"

Maes wasn't ungrateful in the slightest. However, most people he knew wouldn't have been out at that time. Most of the military personnel in Central Command were long gone for the night.

Then there was the fact that Knox wasn't just a civilian. He served in Ishval, and Roy was keeping him involved in the military's plans and investigations.

Maes couldn't help but be curious.

He could hear paper crinkling as the doctor's grip tightened around those in his hand. Knox pinched the bridge of his nose, as if that would help fend off the memories he tried so hard to keep at bay.

 _ ***flashback***_

 _He braced himself as he unzipped yet another body bag. The stench of burnt flesh assaulted his senses. He managed not to gag._

 _Unfortunately, he'd been through this process quite frequently as of late. He carefully removed the bag, revealing a small corpse._

 _Another child._

 _He'd seen these on a number of occasions. He was ordered to study the bodies of burn victims, after all. This wasn't exactly new._

" _The Flame Alchemist strikes again," he muttered under his breath._

 _He had performed autopsies on a number of Ishvalans, several of which had been unfortunate enough to be caught in Mustang's flames. He winced, knowing what it would do to the man if he were to ever see this body._

 _He knew Roy Mustang wouldn't intentionally obliterate a child, but this was war. Odds were, the kid was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Flame Alchemist was just following orders._

 _Just like him. He was just following orders._

 _He turned to retrieve a scalpel. He'd done this routine so many times he didn't have to think about it anymore._

 _Hardly any of the doctors did._

" _Why didn't you save me?"_

 _Facing the corpse, he dropped his scalpel._

 _The charred limbs twitched on the autopsy table. Slowly, it sat up, chunks of flesh falling off as it moved. Blackened fingers grasped at his shirt._

" _Why didn't you save me? Aren't you a doctor? I was human, just like you. Why didn't you save me?"_

 _He ripped the fingers off of his shirt, unintentionally breaking them off the burnt hand. Staggering backwards, he lost his footing and fell to the ground. He tried to scramble away from the table, but his limbs were heavy. He couldn't move._

 _The corpse rolled off the table, crawling toward him._

" _Why didn't you save me?"_

 _ ***end flashback***_

Knox nearly shuddered as he remembered the horrific dream. That particular nightmare had paid him a visit on a number of occasions, but it still made his blood run cold and he woke up drenched in sweat every single time.

More often than not, he would drive around Central whenever he dreamt about Ishval. He couldn't exactly explain it, but it usually helped.

 _Maybe because it symbolizes me running away from my past._

He almost laughed at the thought.

 _How cowardly._

"I was out for a drive," the doctor simply stated. "I was heading home and was at a stop sign just around the corner from that phone booth. That's when I saw the red flash. I heard the gunshot a few seconds later. There was another flash, and that's when I saw it transform. Whatever shot you ran down the street away from me. I waited a minute, in case it decided to come back."

Maes nodded. A silence grew between the two as the doctor continued to search for the papers he was looking for. His gruff voice sliced through it moments later.

"You didn't want me to bring you here," he said. "You won't tell me everything that happened because you believe you're putting me in danger. I know you won't want to put your wife and daughter in danger."

Maes tensed up.

 _How did he know about…._

"I found your wallet in your pocket," Knox explained, gesturing to where his jacket was laying on a nearby chair with his wallet on top of it. "Now, I need to know what you—"

"I'm dead."

Knox blinked at him.

Maes was stunned at his own words. Hearing them out loud sounded like a foreign language.

But they had to be true.

"Maes Hughes is dead," he repeated. "No one can know that I'm alive. Several lives could be lost, including yours, if it gets back to the military that I survived. They know me. They know I have a family. They know everyone I care about. They'll think I told them about what I discovered. _They can't know I'm alive._ "

The doctor didn't look the slightest bit surprised. He walked over to Maes and showed him the papers.

An autopsy report.

"I can fill this out, then you'll officially be dead."

It was the Lieutenant Colonel's turn to blink at the man.

 _It can't be this simple. I know this needs to happen, but there has to be more to this than just filling out a report._

"I know every mortician in this city," Knox continued, as if he had read his mind. "I have to do business with them quite often. I can tell them to arrange a closed casket funeral. They won't ask any questions. They usually don't when the military is involved."

Maes stared at the doctor in disbelief. Knox smirked at him.

"This isn't exactly the first time I've helped fake a death."

Maes grinned. No wonder Roy kept the man in the loop. He was very resourceful and could be a great help if he needed it.

He turned his gaze to the ceiling. The doctor started filling out the paperwork.

 _Maes Hughes is dead…._

 _I'm dead…._

 _So what do I do now?_

"I have to leave Central," Maes said, not realizing he was answering his own question aloud.

"Right now, you're not going anywhere." Knox paused from the paperwork to check the IV. "Hell, I'm surprised you've managed to stay awake this long. You should get some rest. You can figure out what you're going to do when you wake up and have healed a bit."

Maes nodded. His eyes drooped shut, some much needed sleep coming to claim him. His eyelids sprang back open when he heard a phone ringing.

 ***break***

Riza cracked an eye open.

 _Was that…a knock at my door?_

She could see the clock due to the moonlight streaming in through her window. It was almost half past three in the morning. No one would be coming to visit her at this hour. She rolled over, drawing the covers tighter around her and trying to fall back asleep.

That's when she heard it again.

Grabbing her gun from her nightstand, she crept out of her bedroom and through the small living area. Silently, she moved to the door, glancing through the peephole.

Her eyes widened.

Before her guest could knock again, she unlocked the door and opened it.

"Colonel?"

Roy Mustang stood before her.

Her commanding officer was still in his uniform. Nothing about him seemed out of the ordinary, until she met his gaze. She didn't see that fiery determination that served as a constant reminder for why she chose to follow this man.

He looked lost.

Pain filled those obsidian eyes, slowly spreading to the rest of his features. He opened his mouth, then closed it.

He finally spoke, his voice barely even a whisper.

"Hughes is dead."

Riza couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her.

"Sir…." she trailed off.

Nothing she could say would help him at the moment.

Silently, she stepped aside and motioned for him to enter. He hesitated, but eventually stepped inside.

" _Knox, I know it's really late, but can you do me a favor? I need you to check if someone was brought in to the hospital."_

" _Mustang, you're lucky I'm filling out reports right now. If I was about to leave, this wouldn't be my problem."_

" _Can…can you see if a Maes Hughes was checked in? It would probably be within the last couple of hours."_

 _A brief pause on the other end._

" _Oh…I'm sorry. He was brought straight down to the morgue. From what I heard, he suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. A bystander saw him and tried to rush him here, but he bled out before they were even half way here. I'm supposed to officially perform the autopsy tomorrow."_

 _Silence._

" _Mustang, was he a friend of yours?"_

The Colonel sat at his First Lieutenant's kitchen table, his head in his hands. A steaming mug of tea was placed in front of him. He met Riza's gaze and nodded in thanks. She sat across the table from him.

They sat in silence, only broken by the gentle tap from setting the mug back on the table after a sip of tea.

Riza couldn't take her eyes off her superior.

He didn't look like he was about to burst into tears. He didn't look angry.

Honestly, it didn't look like he was feeling anything.

She knew better than to ask him how he was doing. Right now, he probably wouldn't even give her an answer.

"He was shot," Roy said, running a hand through his hair. "Someone shot him. How…why would someone do that?"

The question sounded almost childish.

But she knew.

 _Why would someone do that to Maes of all people?_

The Colonel took a sip of tea, the tense quietness returning to the kitchen, but it didn't remain for long.

"He had a wife and daughter waiting for him to come home."

She grimaced, guilt creeping its way into her mind.

Her initial thoughts hadn't gone to Gracia and Elicia, although they probably should have. She had been too preoccupied with her superior.

She briefly wondered if they even knew yet.

Elicia was probably too young to understand what happened…too young to understand that her dad would never come home.

He would never tuck her in to bed again. He would never take a picture of her again and show it to everyone he knew. He would never hold her again.

He was gone…and she wouldn't understand that.

"He wasn't even trying to become Fuhrer," Roy spoke again, but this time with a little more volume to his voice. "All he wanted to do was go home to his wife and daughter every night. He wasn't trying to rise through the ranks. No one should've had a problem with him, within the military or otherwise. If anything, it should have been _me_ that was shot."

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

They might not have been at work, but Riza couldn't help the formalities.

Roy nodded.

"I strongly believe Lieutenant Colonel Hughes would disagree with you. I know he supported your goals. I know he was doing everything he could to help you, but I don't believe what happened to him had any connection to you."

The Colonel didn't have to say it. She knew he felt responsible for his death in some way. Roy's ambitions could get him into some serious trouble with the higher-ups if they were aware of his intentions.

She and Maes supported Roy the most of anyone. They were there with him in Ishval. They saw the fatal consequences of a corrupted military.

They knew Roy had to have all the help he could get if he was going to achieve his goals.

They also knew one of Roy's biggest fears was something happening to anyone that supported him.

He sighed and buried his face in his hands.

"I know," he mumbled.

"However," Riza continued. "I know that it doesn't make what happened any less sad, or make you feel any better. I know you two were close."

Roy dropped his hands away from his face. The two were silent for a bit. Riza remained at the table, fearful that if she even moved, it might give him some sort of indication he needed to leave.

He didn't. She didn't want him to.

He shouldn't be alone right now.

On the other hand, she didn't want to cut into the silence that filled her kitchen. She knew the Lieutenant Colonel, but not like her superior did.

While she was aware Maes could get on Roy's nerves with all of his photos and gushing about his wife and daughter, she was even more aware of the bond between those two that she couldn't begin to understand.

It wouldn't be easy for him to accept that his best friend was dead.

She wasn't sure what Roy would want to talk about, if anything. All she knew is that he would speak when he wanted to.

She lifted her mug to her lips, taking another sip of the tea that was finally getting cold.

"You know, I never thought I would want a brother," Roy said, breaking the silence. "I never had one to look up to. I grew up with several sisters. I thought that was all I needed." He paused and let out a soft chuckle. "I didn't even like Hughes when I first met him at the academy. But then…he became the greatest friend I've ever had, as well as the strongest man I've ever known.

"I honestly envied his strength. He was always able to smile for his wife and daughter, despite the pain of remembering his time in Ishval. That envy soon changed to desire. I wanted to be like him, in that respect. I…I finally had someone I really looked up to. I considered him a brother in every way but blood. I was _proud_ to. Maes…Maes showed me how much I needed a brother…how much I needed someone like _him."_

There was a quiver in his voice, but no tears streamed down his face. In fact, he didn't look any different than when he first entered her home.

He glanced at the clock, standing upon seeing the time.

"My apologies, Lieutenant. I really shouldn't have bothered you at this hour and kept you up."

He was heading for the door when Riza put a hand on his shoulder.

"No need to apologize, sir. However, I would feel more comfortable if you stayed here for the rest of the night. We have to be at work in a few hours anyway. I have some extra blankets."

The Colonel looked like he was wanting to protest, but eventually sighed and let her guide him to the couch. She disappeared down the hall to find him some blankets and a pillow.

When she came back, he was already sprawled out on the couch. Today's events must have come crashing down on him. By the slow rise and fall of his chest, he was close to falling asleep if he wasn't already.

She settled for draping a blanket over him.

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

It was so quiet. She wasn't sure if she actually heard it.

She went back to her bedroom and crawled back under the covers. She shut her eyes, trying to get a couple more hours of sleep before they both had to get up.

Tomorrow was going to be a very long day.

Tomorrow was the day she knew the Colonel would start investigating, and she would help as much as he would let her.

They were going to find who killed Maes Hughes.

 **Well, there's chapter two! I hope you all enjoyed it! Let me know what you think!**

 **I do have my summer class starting soon, but I will write in any time I can find to do so and will update as soon as I can! Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well, hello there! I am back with yet another chapter! Thank you to everyone for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing this story! Glad to know you all are enjoying this AU! I would just like to apologize for the long delay in this update. Life just sucks and gets busy sometimes. I'm trying my best to update this story more often. Now, on with the next chapter!**

 **I still do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

Maes fought the urge to squirm under the tense silence that filled the car. Knox might have been looking at the road, but he knew disapproval gleamed in those eyes. He absentmindedly rubbed his sore chest and stared out the window.

"You really should rest more. It takes more than three days to get over a gunshot wound."

The former Lieutenant Colonel nearly laughed. He supposed the doctor couldn't help it.

"I can't stay here."

Knox only grunted in response.

Much against the doctor's suggestion, Maes decided it was time to leave. The longer he stayed in Central, the greater the chance there was of someone he knew seeing him.

Besides, he couldn't put the doctor in any more danger than he already had. Despite his gruff nature, Knox had taken him to his own home after he finished the necessary paperwork. It had been rough, but the two got to the house before sunrise. Maes hadn't been in any condition to move, but a house would be more comfortable to recover in than the morgue.

Honestly, he couldn't even remember Knox actually getting him inside. He must have passed out because the next thing he knew he was in a dark room, covered with blankets and an IV in his arm.

He hadn't done much at all the past three days aside from sleep. He and Knox rarely spoke except when the doctor needed to check on his shoulder and chest wounds.

For that, he was grateful.

For once, he wasn't much in the mood to be talking. Knox seemed to understand that.

The car slowly came to a stop. The doctor still didn't look at him.

"Wait here."

Maes fidgeted with the hood of his jacket before pulling the garment tighter around himself, despite the fact he wasn't cold. Unconsciously, he slouched further down into his seat. He inhaled deeply, ignoring the slight burst of pain in his chest, and let out a slow, shuddering breath.

 _There's absolutely no going back now._

He stared down at the white button-down shirt and black slacks Knox had been kind enough to spare for him. It seemed so…dull. He almost chuckled. Normally, he would never wear this sort of thing when he was out of uniform, but he supposed that was the point.

 _You're dead. Maes Hughes is dead._

Reality finally caught up to him when Knox gave him a jacket and instructed him to keep his hood up.

No one could recognize him. Not a single soul.

 _You're dead. Maes Hughes is dead._

He practically jumped out of his skin when someone tapped the passenger side window. After glancing around one more time, Knox motioned for him to get out of the car.

Hesitantly, Maes followed the unspoken command. The doctor walked around to the trunk of the car before handing him his train ticket.

"I know you said you're wanting to go to Liore," Knox said as he opened the trunk. "That ticket will get you to East City."

He pulled out a new billfold and handed it to the former Lieutenant Colonel, nearly chuckling when his eyes widened when he peeked at the contents inside.

"That should be more than enough to get you a train ticket to a city closer to Liore. There's a lot more in here." He paused to lift a suitcase out of the trunk. "There's also a few changes of clothes. This should be enough to keep you comfortable for a while."

Maes opened and closed his mouth a few times.

"Y-You can't…you've already done so much…." he managed to get out.

Knox smirked at him.

"I told you that this isn't the first time I've helped fake a death." He glanced at his watch. "You should get to your train. It leaves in ten minutes."

Not having much time to argue, Maes picked up the suitcase. He turned to head inside the station, but paused and turned back around to face the doctor.

"Is there anything at all I can do to repay you?"

Knox was just starting to get back in his car, but stopped when he heard Maes' voice.

"Obviously, there's something going on that I don't know about, and I don't _want_ to know if it nearly got you killed and you're willing to leave after only three days of recovery." He adjusted his glasses, the glare disappearing so Maes could actually look the man in the eyes. "This corruption in our military needs to end. Too many innocent people have been killed. Put an end to whatever this is and come back. Then we can talk about repayment."

Before Maes could say anything else, the doctor was already back in his car. He watched as the man drove away.

Snapping back to reality and making sure his hood was concealing as much of his face as it could, he rushed into the train station. There was only one train actually running. Honestly, he was quite surprised the doctor even managed to find him a train departing to East City this late at night.

Successfully boarding, he made his way toward the very back of the train, noticing how each car held fewer and fewer people the further back he went. He finally plopped down in a seat, only three other people sharing the car with him.

Within seconds, the train was rolling out of the station.

The former Lieutenant Colonel stared out the window. The buildings and streets that made up Central soon became nothing more than blurs as the train picked up speed. Inwardly, he willed the train to slow down.

 _I just need one last look. One last look at Central._

Of course, that wasn't what he was really needing.

 _One last chance to see my family._

However, the train didn't slow down in the slightest. He held a hand up to the window as the city— _his home—_ flashed by.

Much sooner than he would have liked, the city disappeared.

"Gracia…Elicia…." he muttered.

Central was behind him. Gracia and Elicia were behind him, and he couldn't even see them. He couldn't contact them. He couldn't tell them that he was okay.

 _I even promised Elicia I would try to come home early…and I didn't come home at all._

He turned his gaze away from the window. Without the light of the city, there was nothing to see. There was only darkness. He slouched further in his seat, taking the hood off of his head. It served no purpose at this point.

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to keep the tears welling in his eyes at bay. His attempts were in vain.

As the train ventured further into the darkness, he ventured further into his new reality.

 _Elicia, I'm so sorry I broke my promise. I hope you understand that I would give anything to see you again. I hope you know that I would never abandon you…but that's probably how you're going to feel. I wish I could tell you how much I love you, just one more time, but I can't._

 _Gracia…I can't possibly imagine how you're feeling. I won't be there to help you tuck Elicia into bed again. We can't tell her a bedtime story together. I won't be there to hold you in my arms as we fall asleep._

 _And I won't even get the chance to tell you I'm sorry._

 _I'm sorry that I let this happen. I promised you that I would always come home to you, and I didn't. I hope you can still find a way to be happy. You deserve to be._

 _You and Elicia both do…and I'm sorry I can't provide that for you anymore._

He wiped away the tears rolling down his cheeks.

 _Roy, you don't understand the true corruption of our military. I know you want to become Fuhrer, but I don't know if you ever will. You're a good man, and a truly good man can't rise to power and fix a military that so desperately needs to be fixed with this kind of corruption._

 _You'll be lucky if you don't get yourself killed._

 _Edward…Alphonse…get the hell out of the military. You two were right. You boys are definitely going to get yourselves killed if you meddle in this any further. You both are too damn smart for your own good._

He pinched the bridge of his nose, willing the tears to stop flowing. His wife and daughter were behind him now. So was his best friend. So were the two boys he had only met just a couple of months ago but had already come to love like family.

He remembered his words to Knox earlier that very day. He remembered telling the doctor that he had to head east.

He had to go to Liore.

The Elrics were right. He closed his eyes. The transmutation circle Ed drew for him was etched in his memory. He almost laughed.

To think he had only looked into it to humor the boys. To think he researched in the hopes he could tell them that their concerns were for nothing. Hell, he'd almost told them that in the first place, but there was something in Ed's eyes. Something in his voice. He'd even reached out to the Lieutenant Colonel instead of trying to figure this out on his own.

Even if he'd personally thought it wasn't worth looking into, he couldn't deny Ed for that reason alone.

The last few moments before that monster attacked him were a little hazy, but the sickening dread that pooled in his stomach was something he couldn't forget despite the events that occurred that night, mostly because it never went away.

All of that bloodshed…Ishval…the ongoing fighting in the West…the riots in Liore….

All of those lives lost…just for a transmutation circle.

With the riots in Liore still going on, that seemed to be the most logical place to start investigating.

Or, maybe it would be if he wasn't dead.

 _You're dead. Maes Hughes is dead._

 _You're all alone._

He sighed and buried his face in his hands.

 _Even when I get to Liore, what am I going to do? It's not like I can stop the riots. Forces from Central are there. They'd recognize me in a heartbeat and report that I'm actually alive._

 _What would happen to Gracia and Elicia then?_

 _Even if I wasn't discovered by the military, there might be more of those…things._

He couldn't stop the shudder that tremored throughout his body, absentmindedly rubbing at the bandages on his chest.

 _There are at least two of them, but there could be more. I can't kill those things on my own._

He swung his legs up into the seat next to him, letting his head rest back against the window. His eyes slowly drooped shut.

 _Is it even worth going to Liore? Is it worth investigating on my own?_

 _Can I do anything at all?_

 ***break***

 _He ran through the streets, not bothering to adjust the hood of his jacket when it fell off._

" _I think he went that way!"_

 _Quickly peeking over his shoulder to make sure no one was following him, he ducked into an alley and crouched behind a dumpster. Footsteps ran past the alley. He held his breath._

" _I know you're here!" a voice echoed down the alley. His blood froze. "You seem surprised!"_

 _The second he heard those words, pain blossomed in his chest. He looked down expecting to see blood, but he found none. Heavy footsteps thundered closer and closer to him, but then they stopped._

 _After what seemed to be an eternity, they retreated._

 _He waited a few minutes before risking a glance from behind the dumpster, only to find that he was alone yet again._

 _Remaining in the building's shadow, he crept toward the mouth of the alley. His heart leapt into his throat when he quite literally bumped into someone the second he was out of the alley. He reached for a knife and staggered to his feet._

" _M-Maes?"_

 _He nearly dropped the knife. The man in front of him slowly sat upright before finally standing up._

" _Roy?"_

 _His best friend simply stared at him. His mouth opened, his bottom lip trembling slightly._

" _It can't be you…you died…I read the autopsy report myself…."_

 _Just as Roy took a step forward, blood splattered the both of them. The two men stared at Roy's chest._

 _Three black claws sprouted from the once blue uniform. They retracted, and Roy fell to the ground. Before he even knew what he was doing, he was on his knees next to his fallen friend._

" _What a shame."_

 _He looked up and was greeted with that sight of that black-haired woman. She seemed to be admiring her nails._

" _Such a waste of life."_

 _A spine-chilling laugh assaulted his ears._

" _He'd probably still be alive if you had just stayed dead."_

 _The two creatures loomed over him. The shape-shifter used his foot to pin him to the ground, the weight nearly crushing him. He strained to get in any sort of breath. He couldn't take it. Black spots danced across his vision._

 _He couldn't breathe._

Maes woke up with aloud gasp. He glanced around the train car, noting that the other passengers were asleep. Taking deep, shaky breaths, he slouched back down in is seat. He shivered, noticing that his shirt and jacket were now drenched in sweat. He grappled for his suitcase. He took a quick look around just to be safe before opening it.

His jaw dropped.

Knox certainly hadn't been kidding when he said there was enough money to keep him comfortable for a while. Between the money in his suitcase and new wallet, he could stay at an inn every night for almost six months if he had to make an estimate.

 _How the hell did he get all of this money?_

On second thought, he probably didn't want to know.

He grabbed another shirt and began to rummage through the suitcase to see what else the doctor packed in here. He recognized a few of his knives and noticed a plethora of bandages. He also saw a gun at the very bottom of the suitcase and some bullets.

However, there was one thing that caught his attention, and some of the tears from last night were making a return.

Wrapped inside of a piece of paper was a photo of him, Gracia, and Elicia. Half of the picture had a reddish tint. He ran a finger over himself in the photo, noting that's where a majority of the stain was.

 _How ironic._

He looked at the note.

 _I probably shouldn't have put this in here, but I figured you might need it. I don't think I need to tell you the importance of you holding onto it and making sure you don't drop it._

He gripped the photo tighter. This was dropped at the crime scene. He would be lying if he said he wasn't curious as to how Knox managed to get this out of evidence.

 _Too bad I'll never get to know._

He clutched the photo to his chest and looked back to the note, his eyes zoning in on the last two lines.

 _Take care and come back._

 _Your family needs you._

He clenched his eyes shut and shook his head.

 _Of course they need me. I know that, but I can't go home. There isn't anything I can do._

He opened his eyes and stared out the window, noticing rays of yellow, orange, and pink peeking up from the horizon. Soon enough, he could see the sun rising, illuminating the previously dark sky with a radiant light.

His mouth set into a grim line.

 _My life has been completely destroyed. I can't see my wife and daughter. I can't see my best friend. My world has ended…._

 _Yet the sun still rises. The rest of the world moves on while I'm stuck in the shambles that remains of my own._

He looked back down to the photo. His smiling wife and daughter stared back at him.

" _I'll see you tonight, dear."_

" _Daddy, can you try to come home early?"_

He leaned back and closed his eyes, but it wasn't black.

His smiling wife and daughter broke through the darkness. He saw Elicia running through their living room and leaping into his arms as he got home. His saw himself slinging his arm around his best friend, and they both were smiling, something that seemed to become more and more rare for Roy to do as of late.

He saw a blond in a bold red coat and a massive suit of armor that housed one of the kindest souls he had ever come to meet. He saw their friend, a beautiful young woman that smiled at his daughter like she was her own sister.

 _Gracia…Elicia…Roy…Edward…Alphonse…Winry…._

A dark voice seemed to speak from within the deepest depths of his mind.

 _You'll never see them again…._

 _ **No.**_

He opened his eyes and rubbed them, stopping the tears that were about to start streaming again. He grabbed the spare shirt next to him and quickly changed into it.

 _I have to stop thinking like this._

 _I will see them again. I've got too much I've left behind to never return._

The trees and greenery were replaced with buildings once the train entered East City. He stood up the second the train pulled into the station. He looked at the photo before tucking it away in his pocket.

The tears that once filled his eyes were replaced with fiery determination.

 _I will see them again. No matter what it takes, I will see them again._

 _I will put a stop to this corruption in our military._

 _The only question is…how?_

He put his glasses in the suitcase before getting off the train. He blinked a few times, his eyes trying to adjust. He would have to look real close at the train schedule to find one heading toward Liore, but he could manage without his glasses for a while.

He had his suitcase in a death grip as he walked through the sea of people. He moved swiftly, determined to get to the counter to find a schedule and get a ticket.

He froze in his tracks when a head of familiar blond hair walked in front of him.

His eyes followed the slight swaying of the long ponytail.

 _That…that can't be Ed…he told me he was heading to Dublith…._

He looked around, but didn't see a suit of armor. He set his sights on the blond ponytail, almost grinning to himself.

That man was way too tall to be Ed.

The man stopped and looked around, obviously trying to find his train. Unconsciously, Maes moved closer. He had a golden-blond beard and glasses. There was a glare on them, but it disappeared as he scanned the station.

Even without his own glasses, there was no missing those golden eyes.

 _This isn't a coincidence. Ed's the only person I've ever met with gold eyes._

The man's eyebrows rose, finding the train he should be boarding.

Noting which train he was getting on, Maes rushed to the counter and bought the ticket. He practically sprinted to the train.

He boarded the train and scanned through the cars for the blond man. Upon finding him, he took the first seat available in the same car. He couldn't help but peek out into the aisle to get a good view of him.

Based on Ed's description, he hadn't changed much at all.

He leaned back in his seat as the train started to move. He took a deep breath, trying to ignore the pain in his chest. He tried to get as comfortable as he could.

The next stop was all the way in Resembool, after all.

 **Well, there's the third chapter! The next chapter should address some of the questions that might have popped up at the very end of this one.**

 **Anyways, I need to give a shout out to the incredible YAJJ for being kind enough to look over this chapter for me. She is truly a blessing.**

 **Until next time!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, everyone! I am back with another chapter! Thank you all so much for such kind responses to this story! It's very encouraging! I know there are probably a lot of questions, but I hope this chapter will at least start to answer some of them.**

 **Anyways, on with the story!**

 **I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

 _He sipped his water, eyeing Roy as he downed his third glass of scotch. He opened his mouth, but his friend beat him to it._

" _I know you've got questions about those two, Hughes," Roy said, setting down his glass._

 _He shut his mouth and grinned, setting down his glass as well. He leaned forward, closing the distance between him and the Colonel._

" _Is Ed's brother really just a suit of armor?"_

" _No!" Roy snapped, then he winced. "Sorry, I know you didn't mean it like that. When Ed was eleven, he managed to bind Al's soul to that suit of armor with his own blood. It's some of the most advanced alchemy you'll probably ever see. Honestly, I can't believe he was actually able to do it."_

 _His grin widened when he noticed the twinkle in Roy's eyes, the alcohol actually allowing his seemingly uncaring demeanor to slip a bit. He could see something he had never witnessed the Colonel expressing about those boys._

 _Pride._

 _He chuckled._

"' _Not their father' my ass," he mumbled._

" _What was that?"_

" _Nothing, Roy! Anyway, what happened to—"_

" _I can't tell you."_

 _His eyebrows shot up at his friend's response. He couldn't do anything but stare at the man in front of him._

" _Roy, I told you before that I would keep this from the higher-ups."_

 _The Colonel pinched the bridge of his nose._

" _I know you wouldn't tell a soul, Maes." The use of his first name definitely told him how serious this matter was. "You know that I trust you, but I still can't tell you. It's not my place."_

 _He looked back to his glass of water, brow furrowing and his shoulders tensing. He and Roy had been friends for years. They usually told each other everything…._

 _He looked back to Roy when he felt the man's hand on his shoulder._

" _I'm sorry," his friend began. "I really am. I want to tell you. I just told you: I trust you. I would like to think Ed and Al do too, but I don't know for sure. I can't just tell you their secret. That's up to them. I'm sure if you asked, they would probably tell you."_

 _The tension in his shoulders released as he sighed, and he couldn't help but feel a bit proud. While it was frustrating that Roy wouldn't give him any answers, he knew Roy was just protecting their secret and didn't want to tell him anything that the Elrics possibly weren't comfortable with sharing._

" _I know that's probably not the answer you were wanting to hear."_

 _Roy snapped him out of his thoughts. He managed a small grin._

" _It's all right, Roy," he said. "I understand. I'll try to catch them when they visit Central again."_

 _Roy nodded and rubbed his eyes, the exhaustion from the day seeming to catch up with him._

" _You're not in any shape to drive. I haven't had anything to drink. I'll take you home."_

 _The two friends stood and left the bar. He had to grab Roy's arm as he stumbled a bit, suddenly glad that he had offered to give his friend a ride home. Inhaling deeply once they escaped the stuffy air from inside the bar, he led Roy toward his car._

" _Maes?"_

 _He looked to his friend, the man looking a bit stern, or as stern as he could while being intoxicated._

" _I know you usually refer to us alchemists as freaks. When you're talking about me, that's fine, but I will ask that you don't talk about the Elrics that way. I know you didn't mean any harm in it earlier after our encounter with Scar, but…."_

 _He almost staggered at the wave of guilt that washed over him. Then he actually staggered when he found himself supporting nearly all of Roy's weight. How could he have been so inconsiderate?_

 _Al was a soul bound to a suit of armor…Ed was missing two limbs…._

 _How could he have said that about those two kids?_

" _Don't worry, Roy. I won't ever say that again."_

 _Roy's head lolled against him. He rolled his eyes, but it didn't surprise him. He carried his sleeping friend back to the car._

 _ ***break***_

" _You two look like you could use a break!"_

 _It had been awhile since he'd seen the Elric brothers. He hadn't seen them since their trip to Resembool to fix Ed's automail. He'd been excited to hear they were in Central again, but his excitement soon morphed into worry when neither of the young alchemists looked up at him when he approached their table in the busy library. His brow furrowed._

" _Ed?"_

 _He put a hand on the kid's shoulder, finally gaining Ed's attention._

" _What?" he snapped._

" _Brother, there's no need to be so rude!"_

 _Ed shook his head and rubbed his eyes._

" _Right," the kid looked up at him, meeting his eyes. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant Colonel. Was there something you needed?"_

" _How long have you two been here?"_

" _Since the library opened."_

 _He stared at the two kids. Glancing at his watch, his eyebrows rose._

" _You've been here for over eight hours," he muttered. "Have you taken any breaks at all?"_

 _Ed shook his head, only furthering his concern. He glanced to Al. Even though the younger Elric was physically unable to show it, he could practically feel the worry now emanating from him. Apparently he hadn't realized how long he and his brother had been at the library._

 _Roy certainly wasn't kidding when he said those two could get lost in their research._

" _Why don't you both come take a walk with me? I'm sure you both could use the fresh air!"_

 _Al looked to Ed._

" _That's not a bad idea. We've been here all day and you've hardly moved at all, brother. Why don't we go with the Lieutenant Colonel?"_

" _But I think we might be on to another lead!" Ed whined._

 _Al grabbed the book from his brother._

" _I'll stay here and research then."_

 _Ed huffed and got up, muttering something about finding his coat and leaving him alone with Al. He crossed his arms, his brow furrowing._

" _I was hoping you could come, Alphonse."_

 _Al chuckled nervously._

" _That's all right! I don't need the fresh air like my brother. Besides, if I didn't stay behind, he probably would have just stayed here until the library closes…."_

 _His eyebrows rose when Al trailed off. He stepped closer to the suit of armor and lowered his voice._

" _Is there something else I should know, Alphonse?"_

 _Al shifted, a slight clank echoing around them as he did so._

" _It's just…could you please make sure my brother eats something? He hasn't eaten since we got here. I didn't realize we'd been here that long. Sometimes when he's researching, he forgets things like that. I would love to go, but he won't if…."_

 _The younger Elric's voice was barely audible. He quickly glanced around, looking for any sign of Ed._

" _Don't worry," he assured, kneeling down next to the suit of armor and putting a hand on his shoulder. "I promise I'll make sure he eats something."_

 _He wasn't quite sure how, but he could see the relief flooding throughout Al._

" _Thank you."_

" _I guess we should go," Ed grumbled as he put on his signature red coat._

" _Great!" he straightened up and grabbed Ed's arm._

 _He could feel the annoyance radiating off the young alchemist as he dragged him out of the library, but he wasn't taking any chances in the case Ed changed his mind. He forced his usual grin to stay plastered on his face. He tried his best to ignore the disappointment lingering in the back of his mind._

 _He'd really hoped Al would come with them; however, he did understand Al's concern for his brother. Maybe another time…._

" _Where are we going?" Ed asked once they exited the library._

 _He glanced at his watch, then down the street. He pointed to a diner at the corner of the closest intersection._

" _How about there?" he offered. "It's almost time for dinner anyway, and you have to be starving."_

 _As if on cue, Ed's stomach growled. He smirked when Ed couldn't meet his gaze, knowing the teen couldn't deny it. The two crossed the street and entered the diner. They sat down in one of the various empty booths and looked over the menu._

" _Do they have any places like this in Resembool?" he asked._

 _Ed shook his head._

" _Not really. It's a really small town. Al and I just visited for the first time in about three years to get my automail fixed, and almost nothing has changed."_

 _His eyes widened._

" _I'm surprised you don't go back home more often."_

 _Ed shrugged, but was slightly tense._

" _We don't have a reason to. My mechanic's there. The only time I ever need to go is if something's wrong with my automail. My mechanic and her grandma are really the only family we have left."_

 _The waitress came back and took their orders. He glanced around. There was only one other couple in the diner. If he wanted to get information, now would be his best chance before the place filled up. He opened his mouth, but Ed beat him to it._

" _You're curious about Al, aren't you?"_

 _He couldn't help but grin. Since the two seemed like they didn't get along very well, it was easy to forget that Ed was just like Roy in some ways._

" _I was curious about you both actually," he answered._

" _Didn't Mustang already tell you?"_

 _He simply shook his head._

" _I asked him," he explained, leaning back in the booth. "He refused to tell me anything. He wasn't sure if you and Al trusted me enough to tell me yourselves, so he kept quiet on the matter."_

 _The surprise that crossed Ed's face made him chuckle a bit. Soon enough, Ed was laughing too and shaking his head._

" _The Colonel can certainly be a bastard at times," the teen mumbled, "but I've never had any doubts about trusting him."_

 _His grin split into a wide smile and he couldn't help but feel a bit of pride in his best friend. Ed leaned back in the booth as well and took a deep breath._

" _Al and I have been practicing alchemy since we were kids. It was very easy for us to understand and pick up. We had an entire library full of alchemy books for us to study."_

" _I thought you said Resembool was a small town? If it's as small as you say, I can't imagine there being a lot of books on alchemy."_

 _Anger flashed in the kid's golden eyes._

" _All those books were Hohenheim's." Ed obviously noticed his puzzled expression. "Hohenheim is Al and I's bastard of a father."_

 _He simply nodded, not daring to ask any more questions about the man. It was certainly a touchy subject for the young alchemist. Despite this, Ed continued._

" _He left when I was five-years-old and never came back. Not even when our mom got sick. Al and I tried everything we could to get a hold of him, but he didn't return. It wasn't long before our mom passed away. The bastard didn't even show up to her funeral."_

 _He was surprised when he couldn't actually hear his heart cracking and shattering. He definitely felt it. His chest ached when he saw the hurt embedded in Ed's eyes._

 _The kid probably didn't even know it was there._

" _What did you boys do then?" he asked next._

" _Al and I decided to bring our mom back."_

 _Ed's voice was so quiet he wasn't sure he heard correctly. His blood ran cold. He barely even registered the waitress bringing their food to their table. He may not have been an alchemist, but he'd talked to Roy enough to know what that meant._

" _You and Al tried…."_

 _Ed nodded, shame written all over his face. He stared down at his lap._

" _After our mom died, we met an alchemist passing through Resembool and trained under her for a while in Dublith. When we returned home, we continued studying Hohenheim's books until we thought we could perform the transmutation." He fiddled with his glove, pulling the cloth back up to cover his automail hand. "We failed and we both paid for it."_

 _He had to stop himself from shivering. From what he understood, even the most advanced alchemists wouldn't even dare to attempt human transmutation. Roy hardly ever mentioned it at all. He wasn't sure if his friend had even researched at all into the subject. Yet here he was, sitting before a boy who saw it as his only option to make his family whole again._

" _Ed…."_

 _He didn't even know what to say. He tried not to let his sympathy show, but Ed's next words were an indication of his failure._

" _Please don't look at me like that," Ed said, rubbing a hand over his face. "Al's the one who's truly suffering for it. He lost everything. I had only lost my leg until I bound his soul to the armor. That's when I lost my arm. He can't sleep. He can't eat. He can't feel anything. That's why I have to find a way to get his body back."_

 _Realization dawned on him instantly. Ed was so reluctant to stop his research because he felt that it was his sole responsibility to restore his brother's body. A small grin quirked at the corners of his mouth._

 _Al was very lucky to have an older brother like Ed._

" _I know you will," he said. "However, you're not going to be able to do that unless you take proper care of yourself. I know Al is probably thinking the same thing."_

 _Ed sighed and picked up the fork, half-heartedly stabbing at his food. It seemed as if the young alchemist wasn't listening to a word he said._

" _Edward." The kid looked up and met his gaze. "I know you don't exactly see Roy's team and I as family, but I want you to know that we all have your back like one. Don't think for a second that anything you boys have done will make us support you any less or make us any less proud of you. You boys have stayed so strong throughout your journey, and I know you boys will finish even stronger than you started."_

 _Ed looked back down at his plate, but not before he got a glimpse of the pain receding from the young alchemist's eyes and the grateful smile that spread across his face._

" _Thank you."_

Maes forced himself to keep staring out the window and not at the man sitting just a few rows ahead of him. He didn't want the man to notice him.

Not yet.

He closed his eyes, thinking back to that afternoon at the diner with Ed. Picturing the kid's face after they had that talk helped quell the boiling rage that threatened to consume him, but it didn't help much. There was a part of him that wanted to throttle Hohenheim for abandoning his family that grew slightly more dominant with every passing second.

 _How could he willingly leave his children?_

Hohenheim probably didn't even know Ed and Al were alchemists, just like him. Hell, they were two of the most gifted alchemists the Amestrian military has ever seen. Any father would be proud to have kids like Ed and Al.

A fond smile stretched across his face when he thought of the two brothers.

 _How could anyone willingly leave those two boys?_

His brow furrowed a bit, guilt slowly seeping its way throughout his mind.

 _Wait…haven't I done the exact same thing? I've abandoned my family. I left behind my own wife and daughter. I left behind my best friend…and Edward and Alphonse. How does that make me any better than Hohenheim?_

His eyes suddenly snapped open.

 _I left Gracia and Elicia to protect them. Did…did Hohenheim have a reason for leaving Ed and Al?_

His anger didn't completely vanish, but it started to subside. He probably shouldn't have jumped to the worst possible conclusion, but he couldn't help it when he recalled the hurt in Ed's eyes when he talked about his father.

Ed and Al never got an explanation for why he left. They probably thought they would never see him again when he didn't even show up to their mom's funeral _._

Maes knew he had to find out why.

He closed his eyes again, but this time he must have dozed off because he woke up to the feeling of the train slowing to a stop. Quickly gathering his things, he stood up and watched as Hohenheim got off the train. He instantly followed suit. He had to be fast or he'd lose sight of him.

What he didn't expect was to actually bump into the man on the platform, causing both him and Hohenheim to crash to the ground.

"I'm so sorry!" he apologized.

He got up and reached out a hand to the fallen man. Much to his surprise, Hohenheim just chuckled and waved his hand away.

"That's quite all right!" He got up and faced the former Lieutenant Colonel, noticing the size of the man's suitcase. "I take it you're new to town?"

Maes was at a loss. Perhaps it was the preconceived image he had of Hohenheim, but he didn't expect such an interaction to be so…normal. He almost forgot to give the man an answer.

"Y-yeah. You could say that."

Hohenheim sighed and stared out at the small town before them, the wind whipping his long coat as it blew all around them.

"So are you just visiting?" Maes asked.

Hohenheim slightly grinned.

"I know you're new, so you haven't met Trisha yet. You will soon enough if you're planning on staying a while. Everyone knows everyone in this sort of town. I came back to spend some time with her and our sons. I know I haven't been gone long, but it feels like an eternity since I've seen my family." He stepped off the platform and headed down one of the few roads just ahead. He turned back. "My apologies, but I haven't even asked for your name."

"Maes," he said with no hesitation.

There probably should have been. He shouldn't have even used his real name. Although, a town this small and this far away from Central wouldn't have even gotten word of his murder. He supposed it didn't matter anymore.

"Well, Maes, I hope to see you around."

With that, he waved and made his way down the road.

Maes couldn't help but notice as the few people out on the streets stopped and stared at Hohenheim as he walked by. He saw farmers completely halting their work when they were aware of his presence. Everyone gazed at the man as he went on his way, presumably to his own home.

Maes stayed frozen in place.

 _He doesn't know that Trisha's dead. He honestly doesn't know anything about what happened to his family in the last ten years._

A part of him already knew that, but it was completely different actually seeing how oblivious the man really was.

 _It's been ten years. How could he think that's nothing has changed?_

That wasn't the most unsettling thought.

 _Does he really not believe ten years is a long time to go without seeing his family?_

 **Well, there it is! I hope you all enjoyed slightly drunk Roy. Roy gets very parental when he's drunk and someone brings up Ed and Al. No one can convince me otherwise.**

 **I didn't intend for flashbacks to take up most of this chapter. Oh well. In my opinion, Maes didn't get to interact with the Elric brothers nearly enough, so I hope you all enjoyed it! Next chapter will have a lot more interaction with Hohenheim and will begin what I consider my whole purpose for writing this fic, so I'm really excited to get to it. I promise I am trying to update as fast as I can! Until then!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, everyone! I am back with another chapter! Thank you guys so much for being so patient with me and for giving me some feedback on this story! It really means a lot. Anyways, onwards!**

 **I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

Maes dropped his suitcase and plopped down on the bed the second he entered the room. The innkeeper was quite kind. He didn't realize how tired he must have looked until the elderly man quickly checked him in and suggested he get some rest.

He chuckled to himself.

It seemed as if he'd done nothing but sleep lately. The dull ache in his chest reminded him why. As much as he hated to admit it, Knox might have been right. Three days was _not_ enough time to get over a bullet wound to the chest.

 _Maybe I should rest for a while like he suggested…._

He shook his head at the thought.

 _I found Hohenheim. I need to see him again._

He sat up with a groan. Rummaging through his suitcase, he pulled out the painkillers Knox had been kind enough to spare him. He automatically popped two pills into his mouth, nearly choking and barely swallowing them down when he realized how dry his mouth was.

Now that he thought about it, the last time he had any water was at the doctor's house. He dug further into the suitcase, finding a canteen at the bottom.

 _That man really did think of everything. I don't know how I'm ever going to repay him someday…._

He shook his head again.

 _I'll have to think about that later. I need to take things one step at a time._

He walked over to the bathroom, filling up the canteen at the sink. He almost guzzled the entire thing once he felt the cool water soothe his dry throat. Quickly refilling his canteen and grabbing his wallet, he set out of the inn.

Ed wasn't kidding when he said Resembool was a small town. Despite the warning, he couldn't quite grasp the concept until he practically walked through the entire town in just over an hour, even with pausing to catch his breath more often than he wanted to.

After seeing his house wasn't there anymore, Maes had been certain Hohenheim would've returned to the town, but he didn't see a sign of the man anywhere. He huffed as he stopped again, hunched over slightly and his chest heaving a little more than it normally would.

"Are you all right, sir?"

He glanced up. A young woman, no older than her early twenties, walked out of a nearby shop. He smiled.

If there was one thing he'd learned from walking around Resembool, it was that people were much kinder out here in a small town. Despite not knowing him, everyone he saw on his trek through the streets waved or gave him a smile. It was definitely a nice change of pace from a busy city like Central.

"I'm fine," he assured.

"Are you looking for something?" she asked next.

He debated not saying anything, but he didn't want to waste any more time.

"I'm actually looking for Hohenheim…."

He trailed off when he noticed the glare in the woman's eyes. She crossed her arms and turned back toward the shop.

"Last anyone saw of that bastard, he was heading to Pinako Rockbell's residence." She pointed to a path starting at the far north end of the town, near the train station. "That was just over an hour ago. If he has any respect at all, he'll be heading just east of her house." She paused, looking at Maes over her shoulder. "I don't know why you need to find him. I can't believe the man had the courage to show his face in this town again. If you see him, can you please tell him that he's no longer welcome here?"

Before the former Lieutenant Colonel could utter another word, the woman had already retreated back into her little shop. He sighed and scratched the back of his head.

" _I know you're new, so you haven't met Trisha yet. You will soon enough if you're planning on staying a while. Everyone knows everyone in this sort of town."_

Hohenheim's words echoed in his mind.

That was definitely true, and it certainly wasn't working in the man's favor. Even such a young woman remembered him. Or rather, she probably remembered him not coming back for Trisha's funeral. Between his interaction with her and recalling the way everyone glared at Hohenheim when he walked by, it was no secret the people of Resembool despised the man.

He didn't blame them.

 _But I still don't know why he left._

He had to keep reminding himself of that. While it was easy to make assumptions, he knew he shouldn't until he actually talked to the man.

 _I will see Ed and Al again, and even if Hohenheim never does, I need to have answers for them._

He headed back toward the train station and made his way down the pathway. Even though it was at a slower pace than he preferred, he could eventually see a house coming up in the distance. He got a little closer, at least enough to make out the sign.

 **AUTOMAIL**

His eyes widened.

" _Last anyone saw of that bastard, he was heading to Pinako Rockbell's residence."_

A black and white dog came into view on the porch and started barking. He instantly stepped off the path and continued heading northeast, away from the house.

 _No wonder that last name sounded so familiar. That must be Rockbell Automail._

He would love to meet Winry's grandmother. He'd be honored to meet the woman who raised Winry and gladly took in Ed and Al, but he couldn't risk it. While Winry was in Dublith with the Elric brothers, she would eventually return, and he couldn't risk meeting anyone so close to her.

 _Maes Hughes is dead._

Not only for his safety, but for her own as well, that fact had to remain. If anyone in the military got the news that he was alive….

He stopped when he spotted a small plot of land. Glancing back toward the house, he noticed the young woman's directions were quite accurate. He paused when he reached the gate. It didn't take long to spot Hohenheim. He was sitting on the ground, staring at a headstone at the far end of the cemetery. Maes didn't even have to question whose it was. That sight almost made him turn around and leave.

 _He's discovered his children are gone. The woman he loved is dead. His entire life that he'd planned to come back to is just..gone._

However, Maes didn't move. He looked on at the grieving man. The desire to leave him be was slowly being overcome by his need to get answers for Ed and Al. He couldn't think of a reason for Hohenheim to stay in Resembool any longer, especially with how hostile the residents were towards him.

This really could be his last chance to see the man again.

As quietly as he could, he opened the gate and entered the cemetery. He passed by several graves as he made his way toward Hohenheim, but two caught his attention just before he reached him. He stopped and stared at the two headstones.

 _Yuriy and Sarah Rockbell…those were the doctors murdered in Ishval…they were Winry's parents. How did I not realize that?_

"Did you know the Rockbells, Maes?"

Maes jumped at the voice. He glanced up, noticing Hohenheim was still staring at Trisha's grave. Despite the man not even looking at him, he could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks and he turned his gaze to the ground.

"I…well…not personally."

Hohenheim gave no indication that he heard the response. The two men were quiet, only the wind rustling around them making any sound.

"I knew them," Hohenheim said, breaking the silence. "I'm good friends with their mother. They grew up to be wonderful people. It's a shame you didn't get to know them."

Maes furrowed his brow.

 _He's good friends with their mother…he saw them grow up…how old is he?_

He shook his head. He would worry about that later.

"So I've heard." He took a step forward. "I've met their daughter. Winry is a lovely girl." He took a deep breath. "I also know her two friends, Edward and Alphonse."

He could see Hohenheim tense.

"I see."

Maes shifted as he continued.

"They're good kids…and incredibly gifted alchemists. I'm sure you've heard it by now, but Edward is the youngest state alchemist in the history of the Amestrian military. You must be very proud of—"

"They made a mistake." Hohenheim finally looked over his shoulder at him, the sunlight glaring off his glasses. "They made a huge mistake and they ran away from it. Why should I be proud of them for that?"

Maes's jaw dropped.

 _Did he just…how could he say that about his sons?_

He couldn't even think straight as Hohenheim stood and turned to fully face him.

"My sons did something they shouldn't have. They burned down my home to get rid of the evidence. I don't know what possessed them to do such a thing."

Whether Hohenheim was referring to the attempted human transmutation or burning the house down, Maes didn't know. He didn't care. He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at the man before him.

"Have you considered the fact that none of this would've happened if you had never left them?"

He didn't bother hiding the bitterness in his tone.

 _He has some nerve speaking about Ed and Al like that. He doesn't understand what those boys went through. He doesn't understand what great lengths their going to make up for their mistake._

 _Any man in his right mind would be proud to be their father._

Hohenheim walked closer to him, the glare disappearing from his glasses. Much to his surprise, Hohenheim wasn't looking him in the eyes. Instead, he was staring down at his chest. He followed the man's gaze, noticing the red stain blossoming on his shirt.

Without a word Hohenheim placed a hand on his chest. There was a red flash, and Maes' eyes widened.

 _There was that same red flash when that creature transformed after it shot me. He…is he one of them?_

His blood ran cold and his breath hitched in his throat. He instinctively shut his eyes. The hand on his chest moved to his shoulder as Hohenheim moved around him.

"I can see you care a lot for Edward and Alphonse, Maes. You seem like a good man, so I'm going to advise you to leave this country as soon as you can."

Maes hesitantly opened his eyes and looked down at his chest. The blood stain was still there, but there wasn't any discomfort as he breathed. With trembling fingers, he undid the buttons on his shirt.

The wound just above his heart had vanished.

He felt along his chest, as if this was all a trick.

 _What the hell did he just do to me?_

He turned around, noticing Hohenheim was walking toward the gate.

"Wait!" he called out.

 _If he was one of them, he would have just killed me. He had the opportunity when we got off the train. He's had plenty of time to do it now. There aren't even any witnesses here. He can't possibly be one of them._

"Hohenheim!"

 _He even warned me to get out of the country. That can't just be a coincidence._

He ran toward the gate, but the man had already passed through and was heading to the Rockbell's house.

 _He has to know. It might be a risk, but…._

"I know about the transmutation circle!"

That made Hohenheim stop in his tracks. He turned back toward Maes. The former Lieutenant Colonel stopped at the gate, just a few feet away from the man.

"I know about nation-wide transmutation circle. I know that our military's behind it."

Maes tensed when Hohenheim didn't say anything, beginning to wonder if he'd made a grave mistake. He urged himself to remain calm and breathe.

 _If he was going to kill me, he would have done it already._

"Then you understand why I advised you to flee the country."

"I can't."

Hohenheim raised his eyebrows at that. Maes unconsciously touched his chest where the bullet wound previously resided.

"I was nearly killed when I figured it out. No one in the military knows I'm still alive. I have a wife and daughter that I had to leave behind. I left behind friends I've come to consider my family. There's an entire nation of people that could fall victim to this transmutation circle if it's complete. I can't just run away."

"I respect you for that, Maes," Hohenheim sighed, "but I'm afraid there isn't much a man like you can do. If I were in your position, I would find your wife and daughter and get the hell out of Amestris."

Maes blinked at the man before him, barely registering his advice.

 _There isn't much a man like me can do._

"What about you?" he asked. Hohenheim was visibly taken aback by the question, but Maes continued anyway. "You said there wasn't much a man like me could do, but what about you? Is this why you left?"

A slight smirk formed on Hohenheim's face.

"You're quite perceptive."

The blunt statement of the fact almost made Maes chuckle. He wouldn't have been assigned to Investigations if he wasn't. It would have made him laugh if he hadn't nearly gotten killed for it.

"The transmutation circle isn't finished," Hohenheim continued, "but it won't remain that way for much longer. He has to complete it soon. Considering the higher-ups in the military are involved, no one can stop them—"

"Who's he?" Maes asked. "Fuhrer Bradley? Is he the one behind this?"

Maes hadn't intended to interrupt the man, but his curiosity got the best of him. He hadn't gotten that far in his investigation before he'd been ambushed in the library. One of his first suspects for the man orchestrating this had been Bradley, himself. His eyebrows rose when Hohenheim shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. Your Fuhrer is one of his… _children_ for a lack of a better word. Unfortunately, he's someone I've known for quite some time." Hohenheim shifted, obviously not wanting to discuss that matter any further. "No matter what, the circle will be complete, but it's possible to counter the transmutation."

"Alchemy…." Maes whispered to himself, raising a hand to his chin.

His eyes widened. Hohenheim stepped closer to the former Lieutenant Colonel.

"What?"

"Alchemy!" Maes practically yelled. "You're an alchemist. You're using alchemy to counter the transmutation circle. The things that attacked me…they…I couldn't do anything to stop them. I threw my knife through one of their skulls, and that didn't kill her. I know there could be more of them. Even if the circle doesn't work, those things are still lurking within our military. Would alchemy give us a fighting chance?"

Hohenheim crossed his arms, an eyebrow quirking upward.

"I…I honestly don't know. As far as I'm concerned, none of his children have been destroyed. However, none of them have ever been able to perform alchemy. I suppose it would be the best chance you have."

"So there's a possibility we can destroy them?" Maes took a couple steps closer to Hohenheim, his voice growing louder and hope surging through his veins. "There's a chance of completely putting a stop to this?"

Hohenheim seemed reluctant to answer, but finally relented.

"I suppose there is, but—"

"Teach me."

Hohenheim actually staggered a few steps backwards, but Maes followed him and approached even closer.

"Teach me alchemy. I want to help you. I have to help put a stop to this. I have to protect my family. Please teach me."

Hohenheim's lips set into a grim line.

"Please. Hohenheim, teach me so I can help you."

Hohenheim was silent. It was completely silent except for the wind rustling and whipping around the man's coat. Maes could hear his heart pounding in his chest, and he was almost sure the man before him could hear it too.

"I'm sorry, Maes. I said it earlier, you seem like a good man. Go get your family and get the hell out of Amestris."

Maes' heart sunk as he watched the man turn around and walk away. He stood at the gate of the cemetery. He didn't realize for how long until there was a nip in the wind and the sky started glowing orange. He trudged back toward the inn, the only upside being he no longer had to stop to catch his breath.

 ***break***

Maes lied in bed and stared at the ceiling, replaying his conversation with Hohenheim over and over again in his mind.

 _I still don't know who's actually behind this. Whoever he is, he has "children" as Hohenheim said. Fuhrer Bradley's one of them for sure. I'm assuming those things that attacked me are as well. Maybe I should go back to Central and get in contact with Roy. He's an alchemist. If alchemy is the only shot we have of even standing a chance…._

 _I can't._

 _I can't put him in that kind of danger. I can't risk anyone seeing me._

 _There has to be something I can do…._

A knock on the door jolted him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the clock.

Midnight.

The innkeeper stopped by to check up on him just a few hours ago. He couldn't think of a reason for the man to return so soon. He slid a hand under his pillow, grateful Knox had thought to pack him a gun.

Carefully, he tip-toed to the door and glanced through the peephole. His jaw dropped. He set the gun down and opened the door. Dumbfounded, he stared at the man in the door frame.

"Hohenheim?"

"If you want to come with me, I'm leaving now."

Maes sprang into action, throwing everything he had into the suitcase. He didn't even bother questioning the man as to what made him change his mind. He dropped his key at the innkeeper's desk.

Without another word, he and Hohenheim made their way out and through the dark town of Resembool.

 **Well, there it is! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I sincerely apologize if Hohenheim was a bit out of character. I know that the last two chapters have been all from Maes' perspective. Next chapter we'll get to see how some of the other characters are doing!**

 **I sincerely apologize for the wait. I'm not entirely sure when the next chapter will be coming out, but just know that hell will freeze over before I even think about giving up on this or any of my other fics and ideas. Updates will come as often as life allows. Hopefully, that will be sooner rather than later. Until then!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello! I'm back with another chapter and it didn't take me three months to get this one out! I honestly can't thank you all enough for being so patient with me as I write this little tale and for giving me feedback. It really means a lot. This chapter was so much fun to write, and I hope you all enjoy it. On with the story!**

 **I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. Just this plot that I desperately wish had been canon.**

" _Come on, Al!" he yelled when he heard the gunshot._

 _Not bothering to check if his brother was behind him, he ran through the dark streets of Central toward the sound. He clapped and formed a blade with his automail arm, preparing for whatever he might find. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a red flash that illuminated the dark street for the briefest moment. A lean figure with long black hair snuck out of a phone booth. His eyes widened. Adrenaline surged through his veins and he ran as fast as his legs would carry him._

 _He and Al had to get some answers._

" _That's the guy from the fifth laboratory! We can't let him get away!" He looked behind him when he didn't hear the clanking of Al's footsteps behind him. "Al?"_

 _He slowed down to a stop and completely spun around, but found no sign of his brother. He took a step forward and his brow furrowed at the splash that followed. Looking down, he staggered back instantly when he saw the red pool surrounding his feet. His eyes wandered to the phone booth just a few feet away. He felt the urge to vomit at the amount of blood pouring out of the booth. Against his will, his feet brought him forward and he peeked inside._

" _Ed?" a strained voice called._

 _His heart sunk and his blood froze at the sight that awaited him. Maes Hughes was slumped over next to the phone. He looked up at him, mouth opening as if to speak again, but a cry of agony was the only thing to come out._

" _Hey!" he dropped to his knees next to Hughes, ignoring how his leather pants were now soaking wet with blood._

 _He propped Hughes up against the back of the phone booth, instantly spotting the huge red stain blossoming on the left side of his chest. He automatically took off his jacket and added pressure to the wound, feeling the rapid rise and fall of the Lieutenant Colonel's chest._

" _It's going to be okay," he breathed. "Hughes, everything will be okay."_

 _He swore he saw a small smile on the man's face before he hung his head. The chest underneath his hands fell, but didn't rise again._

" _Hughes?"_

 _He looked over to the dangling phone. He needed to call someone. Mustang would know what to do. He just needed to reach for the phone, but he couldn't move. The puddle of blood around him only got bigger and bigger. He looked back to the Lieutenant Colonel, as if that would make him start breathing again._

 _But the man remained still._

" _Hughes!"_

Ed gasped and shot upright in his bed. He drew his knees up to his chest and closed his eyes, forcing himself to take a few deep breaths. He opened his eyes again and recognized Sig and Izumi's guest room.

"Brother?" He looked to see Al leaning against the wall, a book set down in his lap. "Is everything all right?"

Ed ran a hand through his hair, finding it to be drenched in sweat.

"Yeah, Al," he said, barely able to control the tremor in his voice. "Everything's fine. It was just a bad dream." He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. "I'm just going to get some water."

Not even bothering another glance at his brother and not wanting to be bombarded with any more questions, Ed left the guest room and quietly made his way to the kitchen. He leaned against the counter and took another deep breath.

"It was just a dream," he whispered to himself. "It was just a dream."

He fumbled around for a glass and turned on the faucet. As he was filling up the glass, his eyes wandered over to the phone.

 _Hughes is fine. He has to be, right?_

His gaze wouldn't leave the phone.

 _Maybe I should just give him a call…._

The water overflowing from the glass and onto his hand brought him out of his thoughts. He turned off the faucet and walked over to the phone. He started dialing the number when he glanced over to the clock.

 _It's almost three in the morning. I don't want to risk waking up Gracia or Elicia…._

He sighed and hung up the phone. Taking his glass of water, he walked back to the guest room. He chuckled to himself and shook his head.

 _It was just a dream. Hughes is fine. Hell, if I had called, he'd probably just start babbling about his daughter until I hung up the phone._

 ***break***

Riza followed Sheska down to the document storage room in silence. Promptly thanking the girl after she unlocked the door, the First Lieutenant found her commanding officer sleeping on the ground with a book covering most of his face. Sheska quickly left, leaving the two alone. Riza wasted no time in approaching Roy and yanking the book off his face.

"Sir," she said, her voice a bit more stern than usual, "you need to wake up. Now."

Her voice woke her superior up instantly. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't suppress a yawn as he sat up. Riza gripped his arm and pulled him to his feet. The two made their way through the currently empty halls of Central Command, Roy stumbling a couple times as he tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

The First Lieutenant shut the door when the two entered Roy's office. The Colonel automatically walked over to his desk until Riza gripped his arm and steered him toward one of the couches.

"What are you—" he started to ask, but was quickly interrupted.

"Were you there all night, sir?"

Roy tensed at the coldness in her tone, but eventually nodded. They both sat down on the couch. Riza pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Colonel, you have to be more careful," she chastised. "You're lucky Sheska was the one to find you in there. She won't find it suspicious, but anyone else that could have found you would have. Considering someone in the military could very well be behind his murder, you can't bring unnecessary attention to yourself if you're so determined to investigate it."

The Colonel leaned back on the couch. His eyes fluttered a bit and he fought back another yawn.

"I'll be more careful next time, Lieutenant."

Roy rubbed his eyes, having to fight to keep them open. Riza's mouth set into a grim line.

"It's not just about being more careful, sir." She placed a firm, yet gentle hand on his shoulder. "I know you want to find who killed him. So do I, but you have to take better care of yourself. When was the last time you ate a proper meal?"

Roy's hands froze as he tried to rack his brain for an answer.

"I…I don't remember."

The hand on his shoulder tightened, causing him to shift his gaze back to his Lieutenant. Her face had softened a bit and nothing could hide the concern gleaming in her eyes.

"You know you can't keep doing this to yourself. You need to eat. You need to sleep. If you don't start taking better care of yourself, you're going to make careless mistakes we can't afford just from your shear exhaustion." She sighed when she saw Roy tense. "He wouldn't want you to sacrifice your health like this. You won't be able to catch his killer if you keep this up."

"I know, Lieutenant, but…." The Colonel looked like he was about to protest, but he knew Riza was completely right. He hung his head. "I know."

Riza walked over to her desk and returned with a blanket. Where she managed to stash it, her superior couldn't begin to guess.

"You still have an hour before the others come in. Why don't you try to get some sleep?"

Roy chuckled and shook his head.

"Shouldn't you be telling me to get back to work?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Despite his teasing, he didn't bother arguing with the suggestion. He gratefully took the blanket and stretched out on the couch. His subordinate simply smirked at him.

"With all due respect, sir, it's already hard enough to get you do focus on your paperwork as it is. I'd rather not try when you're running on practically no sleep."

Roy rolled his eyes before spreading the blanket over himself. He rolled over to face the back of the couch and block out as much of the light in the office as he could. It didn't take him long to realize his Lieutenant definitely made the right call. Only a couple of minutes passed before he found himself drifting off to sleep; however, he didn't miss hearing the footsteps coming closer to the couch and stopping right by his head. A gentle hand ran through his hair.

"We'll find who killed him, sir. I promise."

 ***break***

Maes groaned when he finally started to wake up. A shiver crept up his aching spine.

 _Why is it so cold? And why is my back so sore?_

He opened his eyes and stretched his arms over his head, his back cracking as it arched a bit. It was dark except for a dim orange flicker outlining someone crouched in front of its source. Rubbing the back of his neck, he realized he'd propped himself up against a log and must have dozed off.

"You might want these." Hohenheim stood before him with a hand extended out to him, holding his glasses. "You took them off right before you fell asleep. I didn't think you'd want to risk breaking them."

"Thanks," he muttered before accepting his glasses.

Hohenheim turned back to the fire and smothered it. Maes took that as a signal they needed to get moving. He hauled himself off the ground and dusted himself off. After picking up their suitcases, the two left their makeshift camp with only the wood and last of the smoke rising indicating anyone had been there at all.

A pinkish-orange hue erupted on the horizon, slowly growing brighter with every passing second the two carried on. Maes could almost physically feel his spirits soaring as the sun continued to rise.

 _It's a new day. I don't have a plan, but I finally have hope. Hohenheim understands what's going on in our military. He's giving me a chance to help save this country._

He couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face.

 _Gracia and Elicia…Roy…Edward and Alphonse…I might actually be able to see them again._

As much as he'd been telling himself to hold on to the thought of returning to his family, it didn't seem feasible. He didn't even know where to begin ending the corruption in the military or destroying the nation-wide transmutation circle.

But now, for the first time since waking up in the morgue, he had hope.

"We've got another couple days on foot, but if we keep up this pace, we should be reaching the next town just after sundown. We can rest there for the night."

Hohenheim's voice brought him out of his thoughts. He nodded, trying not to make the surprise apparent on his face. The man had been silent during most of their journey until he suggested they stop and rest for a couple of hours.

"Where exactly are we going?" Maes asked.

He knew they were heading south, but he'd been hesitant to break the silence. Ever since their discussion at the graveyard, Hohenheim seemed reluctant to talk. Maes didn't blame him at all.

"To the edge of the desert, just before it meets the border of Aerugo." The man sighed when Maes raised his eyebrows. "I know all too well of the tension at the southern border, but we'll be safe where we're going. We won't be there for long, anyway."

Maes nodded, but he couldn't help but wonder what the two would actually do when they reached their destination.

Or where they would go after that.

"If you're still wanting to learn alchemy," Hohenheim continued, "we can start when we stop for the night. I don't have my library anymore, but I do have several of my notebooks with me. I'm sure you're already aware, but alchemy isn't easy to pick up. It will be even more difficult since we'll be travelling and you won't have many opportunities to sit down and study. Do you think you're still up for it?"

"Yes," Maes answered with absolutely no hesitation.

He figured learning alchemy wouldn't be easy. He recalled Roy telling him about how much he had to study and train, but he didn't have many options.

"Have you ever been interested in alchemy before now?" Hohenheim asked.

Maes grinned. At least the man was open to holding a conversation now. He shook his head.

"I can't say I was. Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to join the military, but I was never interested in becoming a state alchemist." His grin widened into a smile. "A good friend of mine is an alchemist though. Back in our academy days, he would hole himself up in his room studying if we weren't training. Sometimes he would try to explain it to me, but I never thought I would need it. I'm starting to wish I paid more attention…."

He trailed off and scratched the back of his head. He risked a glance at Hohenheim, wondering if the man would be frustrated that he had practically no background in alchemy. While the man didn't smile, he seemed amused.

"I'm sure you didn't think you had a reason to, especially if that wasn't the path you wanted to take at the time."

The two were quiet once again as they continued walking, but it wasn't as tense as it was the previous night when they began their trek. Despite feeling a little bit more comfortable around Hohenheim, Maes couldn't get himself to break the silence.

 _I still have so many questions. I don't even understand what he's doing about the nation-wide transmutation circle. How does he know who's behind it? How did they infiltrate our military? How long has he known about this?_

 _Why did he wait so long to come back to his family?_

Maes knew he could drown in all of the questions flooding his mind, but he still refrained from breaking the silence. He knew Hohenheim had answers, but he also knew the man wouldn't talk about it until he was ready. While the former Lieutenant Colonel would normally press for them now, he decided not to worry about it for the time being.

Their journey had just begun after all.

 **Well, there it is! I hope you all enjoyed getting to see a little bit of Ed, Roy, and Riza to get a glimpse of how they're doing at this point in the story. Writing Ed's part was a bit heart-breaking, but the scene between Roy and Riza made me feel much happier. I am sorry this is a slightly shorter chapter, but this just felt like the best place to leave it. We'll get to see the beginning of Maes' alchemy training in the next one, so that should be a lot of fun!**

 **I will be focusing only on this and "Depths of the Abyss" for a while, so updates should be a little more frequent…hopefully. We'll see how much time for writing school allows. Anyways, until next time!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I have returned with…wait for it…yet** _ **another**_ **chapter! I honestly can't thank you all enough for your response to this fic! It means the world to me. I've had so much fun writing it so far, and it's so encouraging to know you all have been enjoying it! Anyway, let's continue with this (not so) little tale!**

 **I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.**

Maes dropped his suitcase and plopped down on the bed the second he and Hohenheim entered their room. The man had been right. The two reached a small town just as the sun started setting. He couldn't help but be amused when the innkeeper was surprised to see he had two guests.

" _It's been a while since we've had any visitors to our humble town! What brings you two by?"_

Maes wasn't even aware towns this small even existed. The inn—if this could even be classified as such—only had a couple of rooms, the only other occupied room belonging to the innkeeper himself.

He sighed and let his eyes droop shut, his limbs weighed down from the exhaustion of the day's travels. He heard the other bed in the room creak. Only a moment passed before his eyes shot back open and he bolted upright, ignoring his sore body's protests.

"So where do we start?" he asked.

Much to his surprise, Hohenheim chuckled. The man hadn't said much aside from their conversation earlier that morning. He certainly didn't expect to elicit a laugh out of him. Hohenheim set down his suitcase and began rummaging through its contents.

"If you want to get some rest first, we could start—"

"No."

Hohenheim turned to look at the former military officer with eyebrows raised; however, he didn't dare question his new companion.

"All right," he said, pulling out a notebook.

He handed it to Maes, who instantly flipped open the cover. His eyebrows shot up when he saw the contents inside. He thumbed through the pages of the notebook only to find similar entries. He turned back to the first page.

 _Wood: 50% carbon, 42% oxygen, 6% hydrogen, 1% nitrogen, 1% other elements_

 _Wrought Iron: 99.53% iron, 0.07% carbon, 0.04% sulfur, 0.14% silicon, 0.08% phosphorous, 0.14% manganese_

"You said your friend was an alchemist, so I'm assuming you've at least heard the concept of equivalent exchange?" Maes nodded. "Are you familiar with the two laws this concept must follow?"

"The Law of Conservation of Mass," the former Lieutenant Colonel began, "says that energy and mass can neither be created nor destroyed. Deconstructing an object will result in parts that still equal the mass of the original object. The Law of Natural Providence says that an object can only be transmuted into another object with the same basic makeup and properties."

Maes' eyes widened.

 _How the hell did I know that?_

He thought back to banging on Roy's door during their academy days, refusing to leave until he at least seen his friend. He thought back to all the times he and Roy sat in the same room, him trying to study for their exams while Roy was buried in his alchemy books. He grinned when he remembered Roy trying to teach him whatever he'd learned those days.

 _Maybe I picked up on more than I thought I did._

Hohenheim sat down on the bed opposite of him, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his legs. His shoulders sagged and his face softened a bit.

 _He's probably relieved he doesn't have to start at square one. I can't say I blame him._

"You're right. To perform a successful transmutation, you have to understand the components of what you're transmuting, and I can't stress that enough. Attempting to reconstruct an object with elements that aren't originally present bypasses the concept of equivalent exchange and will result in a rebound."

"That doesn't just apply to human transmutation?" Maes blurted out.

He nearly covered his mouth, but it was too late and wouldn't have done him any good.

 _He just found out his sons committed the taboo a few days ago. He hasn't even seen the consequences of their actions. I shouldn't have said anything._

Hohenheim tensed, but answered him after taking a deep breath.

"A rebound can occur after any transmutation, albeit the consequences aren't usually as permanent as they are for human transmutation. When you try to create more out of what you're given, you unbalance the alchemical forces and can no longer control them." He nodded toward the notebook in Maes' hands. "I've compiled a list of common materials and their compositions. I'm not going to show you how to even draw a circle until you've studied that list."

Maes tightened his grip around the notebook. It seemed so mundane, but he understood Hohenheim's concerns. He nodded and positioned himself against the headboard, drawing his knees up toward his chest and resting the notebook on his legs. He opened the book back to the first page.

 _Wood: 50% carbon, 42% oxygen, 6% hydrogen, 1% nitrogen, 1% other elements_

 _Wrought Iron: 99.53% iron, 0.07% carbon, 0.04% sulfur, 0.14% silicon, 0.08% phosphorous, 0.14% manganese_

 _Low Carbon Steel: 99.55% iron, 0.05% carbon, 0.4% manganese_

 ***the next morning***

"Maes, you need to get up."

The former Lieutenant Colonel instantly opened his eyes only to have his sight blocked by the notebook resting on his face. He blinked before removing it and sitting up. He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, trying to remember when he'd fallen asleep. Looking out the window, he could see the first rays of the sunrise shining cutting through the dark sky.

 _It's still so early. Hohenheim certainly doesn't waste any time._

"You have time to shower if you want," the man said, bringing Maes out of his thoughts. "There's an extra towel in the bathroom. I'd make it quick, though. We have another long day ahead of us."

Maes looked at his companion, noticing the man had already dressed in a different set of clothes than the previous day and his long hair was down and dripping wet. Not knowing when the two would have another chance to stay at an inn, he grabbed a new shirt and pair of pants and made his way to the bathroom.

Much to his surprise, the water wasn't ice cold when he turned on the shower. It didn't warm up near like it did in his family's apartment back in Central, but it was still warm enough that he sighed in relief as the water cascaded over his aching muscles. He would have stayed there all day if he had the time, but he and Hohenheim didn't have that luxury. He quickly cleaned up and got dressed for the day.

Exiting the bathroom, he saw Hohenheim throw on his long coat before tying his hair back. He silently made his way back to his bed. He grabbed the notebook and turned to give it back to its original owner when he caught a glimpse of the contents scattered across the man's bed.

Hohenheim paid him no mind as he folded his clothing and packed it back in the suitcase, only to be crumpled by the surplus of books and notebooks he then stacked on top of them. His brow furrowed when he saw the condition of the notebooks as his companion packed them away. The covers were worn and even cracked in some cases. A couple even had a portion of the cover torn off, revealing the stained pages within.

Maes looked down at the notebook in his own hands. The cover wasn't worn or cracked. Flipping through the notebook again, he saw none of the pages were stained or torn. The notebook he had looked brand new by comparison.

"You can keep that with you, for now," Hohenheim said, causing Maes to look up at his companion.

"Thank you," he mumbled, putting it in his own suitcase before clasping it shut.

The two dropped the key to their room off with the innkeeper who gave them a jolly farewell before they left the inn. Despite being so early in the day, the small town was already buzzing with life. Maes watched as a few men headed out to the massive field on the outskirts of the town.

"I bet you can't catch me!"

He had to step to the side before being bowled over by a young boy running at him with another right on his heels. Much like Resembool, they were greeted with a smile and wave by everyone they came across. A part of him wished they could stay for little longer.

 _But we don't have that kind of time._

"Excuse me?"

The two travelers stopped and turned around. A girl that couldn't have been older than seven-years-old with short black hair stood behind them. She held a small basket in her arms filled to the brim with apples.

"Would either of you like to buy an apple? They're only ten cenz!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Maes could see Hohenheim's lips quirked upward, and he was certain his own mirrored his companion's. He dug around his pocket for a couple of coins and knelt down.

"I'll take a couple," he said as he extended the coins out to the young girl.

A radiant smile flashed across her face and she handed Maes two apples.

"Thank you so much, sir!"

Before he could say anything, she ran off. He straightened back up and held out one of the apples to Hohenheim. The man looked hesitant to take it, but his stomach growled and he took it.

"Did she look like your daughter?" the man asked before taking a bite of the apple.

Maes' heart dropped, but he forced the grin to remain on his face and shook his head.

"My daughter just turned three a few weeks ago. She's got light brown hair, just like her mom." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I've just always had a soft spot for kids, I guess."

 _I will see Elicia again. I can't forget that._

The two left the small town and continued south. They'd hardly even begun their day's journey and Maes' earlier observation wouldn't stop nagging at him.

 _Hohenheim's been practicing alchemy for several years. The notebook he gave me couldn't be more than a few years old. That aside, I've never seen Edward or Alphonse with something like that. I assumed after studying alchemy for a while, understanding materials and their compositions would be second nature._

"What made you start the notebook you gave me last night?"

The words were out of his mouth before he could even attempt to stop himself, his curiosity getting the better of him. He could see Hohenheim's body tense, but his face maintained its usual impassiveness.

"Edward and Alphonse."

Maes stopped in his tracks. Hohenheim kept going and didn't even bother looking back. He shook his head and had to jog to catch back up. He opened his mouth, but honestly didn't even know where to begin.

"Last I saw Ed, he was only five-years-old," Hohenheim started, causing the younger man to clamp his mouth shut. "Even then, I knew he was a smart kid. I'd already caught him sneaking into my library and looking at my books when he thought I wasn't around to notice. I knew Al would probably follow suit when he was able. I had a feeling the two would be interested in alchemy, so I created the notebook for them to reference while they first started." He bowed his head slightly and his shoulders sagged, but he kept going. "Those two might not have needed it, but that doesn't mean it was a waste of my time. I suppose anyone else that's new to alchemy could find a use for it."

There was a brief moment of silence.

"I see," Maes muttered.

 _He intended to help Ed and Al learn alchemy. He truly intended to come back. How the hell did he not realize he'd been gone for ten years?_

"I'm afraid there's not another town before our destination. If we keep up our current pace, we should be there by tomorrow afternoon, even if we stop for the night."

Obviously no longer wanting to discuss his sons, Maes didn't pester him anymore on the subject.

"Would you mind telling me what we're doing when we get there?"

Hohenheim glanced over his shoulder. The former military officer automatically followed his gaze. The small town was no longer in sight. He completely turned around, not realizing how far they had already gone.

There was nothing _._

His heart pounded in his chest. There were no trees. There weren't even any hills, at least as far as he could see. There was no place to hide.

 _We're just sitting ducks out in the open…._

…and yet nothing happened.

The two may have been out in the open, but it seemed as though they were truly _alone._

Hohenheim reached into his pocket and took out a folded piece of paper. Wordlessly, he handed it to Maes who opened it up instantly. His eyes widened as he took in the contents of the paper.

He was staring at a map of Amestris. Similar to the map he drew on that fateful night only a week previously, there was a transmutation circle. He'd seen them before; however, despite his best friend being an alchemist, he'd never seen a circle with such an intricate design. What really caught his eye was a smaller circle drawn on the southern border of Amestris, exactly where they were heading.

"The man behind the nation-wide transmutation circle calls himself 'Father.'" Maes looked up at his companion. Much like he'd seen in Ed, fire raged in the man's golden eyes. "His only goal is to evolve into—what he considers to be—the 'perfect being.' He's willing to sacrifice the entire country to achieve his goal. With Fuhrer Bradley in charge of the Amestrian military, nothing can stop Father from completing the circle. In an ideal situation, he won't be able to activate it, but we can't depend on that and have to move forward under the assumption that he will."

Maes blinked and turned back to the map in his hands.

"So…all of those people…."

 _Gracia…Elicia…Roy…Edward…Alphonse…._

 _They're all going to be sacrificed?_

"Initially, yes. Father will absorb every soul in Amestris, but this circle will counter that. Every single soul will be expelled and returned to its original body in the event Father can't be stopped."

Maes handed the map back to Hohenheim before taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. He heard an amused huff coming from his companion.

"I understand this has to be a lot to take in."

"It is," Maes responded with a grim smile, "but I don't exactly have time to question it, do I?"

Hohenheim chuckled at that, carefully folding the map back up and tucking it into his coat pocket. The two continued walking, neither showing any sign of slowing down anytime soon.

 ***break***

"How do you know Father?"

Hohenheim choked on his water at the sudden question. Maes had been silent since they stopped to rest for the night, instantly grabbing the notebook from his suitcase to use what little sunlight they had left to study. Now, the younger man sprawled out on the ground with his hands folded behind his head.

"You know his ultimate goals and plans, so how do you knowhim?"

Hohenheim followed Maes' lead and laid down on the ground. He couldn't get himself to look anywhere but the sky and he took a deep breath.

"He's the one who first taught me alchemy."

He could feel his companion's eyes on him, but he remained silent. He couldn't help but be grateful that Maes knew when he didn't want to answer more questions. The two would be spending a lot of time together over the next few months, and Maes understood that.

He knew he'd probably be answering all of his questions at one point or another.

 ***break***

"What's the composition of cotton?"

Maes smirked.

"Fifty percent oxygen, forty-four percent carbon, and six percent hydrogen."

He'd actually woken up before Hohenheim that morning. The second it was light enough, he took out the notebook and continued studying. Nothing could stop the pride welling in his chest when he noticed the man's pleased expression. It was the fourth question he'd answered correctly, after all.

"You're picking up fast. I might be teaching you how to draw a circle when we get back to the inn tomorrow night."

Maes' smirk turned into a grin at the comment. The two continued walking up the only hills they'd seen since they left the inn. The grass was slowly fading into mere patches as they climbed further to the top. It had been a welcome sight compared to the flat land that surrounded them for the last twenty-four hours, but nothing could have prepared Maes for the moment they reached the top.

His jaw dropped when he stared at the vast desert before his eyes. There was nothing but sand as far as he could see. It was so empty, yet so _beautiful._ Ishval was the closest he'd ever come to seeing the desert along the eastern border of the country, and he didn't exactly have time to appreciate the view when he was fighting a war.

 _Our own military orchestrated the Eastern Rebellion…all of those lives lost just to create a transmutation circle…._

He winced at the thought, but then shook his head. He couldn't think about that when the entire country's population was at stake. He looked to Hohenheim. His brow furrowed when the man set his suitcase down and he started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Anna was a teacher," Hohenheim said, as if that explained everything. "As a young girl, she taught her younger sisters how to read and write, even though her own mother didn't approve. She loved to learn and wanted to teach everything she learned to those around her. Micah was an artist. His nightmares would haunt him even into the day unless he unleashed them onto his canvases. In some strange way, he believed painting helped him keep them away."

 _Has Hohenheim lost his mind? Who is he talking about?_

"Daniel was considered a thief by his father, but he was proud of it. His father was wealthy and always had more than he needed. Daniel would steal extra food and clothing his family didn't need and give it to those who did. He didn't stop even when his father discovered what he was doing and beat him for it."

Maes' eyes widened when Hohenheim dug his fingers into his chest until he drew blood. Massive droplets splattered across the ground.

"Thank you for your sacrifice," Hohenheim sighed.

Maes stared at his companion, completely dumbfounded.

"Why would you do—"

He was cut off by a red flash on Hohenheim's chest. The flesh around the gaping wounds morphed together and the wounds closed instantly.

 _The man healed my gunshot wound. He just healed his own chest. There was only that red flash. No circle. No signs of a transmutation._

"Who the hell are you?"

Hohenheim couldn't help but smirk.

"I'm a philosopher stone."

 **Well, there's chapter seven! I do sincerely apologize for the delay on this update. I'm currently working on the next chapter and will update as soon as I can! Until then!**


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